"Are you okay?" Santana looked up at the person standing in her doorway and resisted the urge to sigh. She knew that Rachel would have come to give her a "it'll get better" speech but she didn't know it'd be this soon after the briefing.

"Would you be okay if you were in a situation like this?" Santana asked as calmly as she could. She knew Rachel was only trying to help.

"No." Rachel answered quietly.

"Then why in the world are you asking?"

"Because you're tougher than I am Santana. The cases that you take on, I'd never even be able to look at pictures of for too long." Rachel said, walking further into the woman's office and closing the door behind her.

"I don't think I'm tough enough for this Rachel." Santana admitted, and that's how Rachel knew she was really struggling because Santana Lopez acted like she could do anything. She never flinched at the cases she was given or cop out. She took them head on and even when it was obvious they were taking their toll on her, she made it so no one knew. Plus there was the fact that she hadn't been called by her last name.

"You aren't alone Santana, no matter how much you try to act like a loner. Plus, you aren't the head of this case, and if anything too gruesome comes up you don't have to be there to see it. You're technically still on leave." Rachel explained, hoping it would ease some of the woman's obvious stress.

"No. I want to be involved in this. She's… she was important to me and still is and I would like to be there when she's found, alive or…or otherwise." Santana couldn't say dead. She couldn't. It was too surreal, like if she said it, Brittany's cold, lifeless body would show up on her doorstep. The imagery alone made her sick.

"Santana…"

"Don't fight me on this Rachel. I want to be involved in the investigation. I won't go running into any buildings guns a blazing… but I want to help find her and I want her to see a face she knows when she's found." Santana replied and Rachel realized the positivity in her voice. Not if they found her, but when. And she realized that it made no sense to argue with her because Rachel knew Santana would find a way. If she didn't let her help, the stubborn woman would probably open up her own private investigation and god knows that wouldn't be good for either of them. So she acquiesced.

"Okay. But promise me you won't do anything rash." Rachel replied.

"I already said-"

"No, I want you to promise me Santana. Because I know you and I know that if you find something before us you'll run off to follow it because you think we're running out of time and I want you to promise me you won't do any such thing." Rachel said crossing her arms over her chest, a sign that told Santana her mind was made up.

"Rachel…"

"You promise me right now or so help me, I'll let Sylvester force you to stay home and I'll let her put protection details in every single crevice of your home so you don't go climbing out of windows." Rachel said.

Santana knew that look in her eyes. I dare you, it said. And as much as she loved to trouble the brunette, that look was one she knew not to mess with.

"Okay, I promise." Santana replied softly because no matter how much it irritated her, she knew that Rachel only had her best interest at heart.

"Good. Now go home."

"What?! Rachel you must be joking." Santana said, standing from her seat at the preposterous notion.

"I am not. Technically, this case belongs to the NYPD. It hasn't reached the stage where we need to be called in yet. Sylvester got us the details because she knew that you and Brittany are…were close."

Santana had wondered why they had been called in for the kidnapping of one woman. Now she knew.

"So we're just gonna sit back and not do anything? What if it never becomes dire enough to land in our laps? We can't just sit in the passenger seat on this Rachel. We have better resources and more people; we have to get that case." Santana said, frustration getting the better of her.

She knew what would happen if the NYPD kept the case. They would either find Brittany dead or not find her at all and leave the filing to rotten in their basement as a cold case. She couldn't just sit and allow that to happen knowing she could have very well prevented it.

"Santana you know we have no control over this. Unless you wanna start going out and kidnapping multiple females, there's nothing we can do." Rachel said shrugging. She felt anger at the situation too; knowing someone was in danger but not being able to do anything to help. It sucked majorly.

"We have the files don't we? We can still go over them, see if we find something that can help the cops. It's better than sitting around doing absolutely nothing." Santana said, grasping at straws.

"Santana, you aren't even supposed to be in the building. Go home, get some rest and then tomorrow we can deal with it."

"It's barely noon, I'm not tired." Santana let the lie slip past her lips. Yes, she was tired and there was an ache building in her chest from the almost but not yet fully healed gunshot wound she had sustained. She hated feeling so weak and the stress of the situation was doing nothing to help.

"Right. Go home or I'll make good on my threat to lock you into your house till the investigation is over. I'm sure Dani and the kids are missing you." Rachel said with a smile.

"Stop trying to appeal to my soft side." Santana said, not even bothering to hide the fact that she did in fact have a soft side.

"Well, you've left me no choice." Rachel said.

"By the way, how are things with Quinn?" Santana asked suddenly and she laughed at the blush that appeared on Rachel's cheeks and flushed all the way down to her neck. "That good huh."

"Shut up and go home." Rachel said. Cheeks still red, she turned and walked towards the door, only stopping to glance once more at Santana. "Don't let me see you here in the next twenty minutes."

"Yes ma'am." Santana mock saluted and watched as Rachel left the room. She sighed and rested her head in the palms of her hands. This week was gonna suck.

Dani heard the keys in the door and smiled. She heard it open and shut and then the happy squeals of her daughter made it more apparent that it was Santana who had come through the door.

"Tana!" She heard Izzy say and the footsteps that followed confirmed the girl was running to greet the brunette.

"Hey carino." Santana replied, kissing Izzy's head. "Where's your mama?" Santana asked, throwing her keys in the dish by the door. She followed in the direction Izzy pointed, which lead to Dani's bedroom. She smiled and opened the door to find Dani lying on the bed reading a book. She looked over to the crib and found Mathew sleeping with a pacifier in his mouth.

"Hey." Santana said to get the woman's attention even though unbeknownst to her, she had it the moment she entered the house. Dani removed the book from her view and smiled at Santana and the brunette felt the butterflies, which seemed to have taken up permanent residence in her stomach, flutter.

Santana walked closer and sat at the edge of the bed, Izzy still clinging to her.

"What are you reading?" Santana asked.

"I have no idea. I borrowed it from your room. I'm sorry." Dani said and the smile on her face was replaced by worry and guilt.

"Don't apologize. You did nothing wrong. What's mine is yours now." Santana replied, reaching out to take one of the blonde's hands. She was happy when the smile returned to the woman's face, causing one to sprout on hers as well.

"Come lie down with me." Dani said, patting the space beside her. Santana didn't hesitate. Moving Izzy from her hip to the bed, she removed her shoes and climbed in, lying down beside Dani, on her side so she could see her face. Izzy, ignoring the two adults, climbed from the bed and to the floor to play with her toys.

"You're beautiful." Santana can't help but say because looking at Dani right now, it's impossible not to see. Long eyelashes that cast shadows on her skin, eyes the color of caramel so deep you could get lost and never be found, adorable freckles that spread across her nose and cheeks, her lips…her god damn perfect lips. She could see the blush spreading across the blonde's cheeks and she smiled at how it made her even more beautiful.

"Why were you called in today?" Dani asked. She was never quite sure how to respond to compliments so she always changed the topic when she was given one. She was sure Santana had realized by now but the woman hadn't said anything and she was grateful.

The mood instantly became darker, Dani realized and she wondered what had happened to produce the instant frown on Santana's face at the mention of work. She looked towards the end of the bed at Izzy making sure she was occupied with her toys before looking back at Santana.

"What's wrong Santana?" She asked again. She watched as Santana took a deep breath before answering.

"Remember my college friend that we saw at the park?" The woman asked.

"Yes. You had coffee with her last week." Dani remembered her vividly. Santana had said she was a friend but her facial expressions when she was talking to the woman in the park said otherwise. She had encouraged the agent to listen to whatever the woman had to say regardless of whatever she had done to Santana in the past and she hoped the woman had taken her advice. She didn't know though, why she was being brought up now. Unless…

"Did something happen to her?" Dani asked, turning more to look at Santana better. The look of despair on Santana's face said a lot but she waited for her to explain.

"She's missing. We don't know where she is or who took her. The police found her purse outside a bar and her car was in the parking lot. There was… there was blood on a crowbar near the dumpster." Santana said, trying her hardest not to sound like it was a big deal. She would find Brittany, she would be fine and Santana would send her back to California where…she'd be fine.

"I'm sorry." It was all Dani could say at the moment, completely speechless by the news. It was always surreal when bad things happened to people you knew, like you never thought such a thing could be possible. She knew the woman was important to Santana, that much was obvious and she knew how hard this must be for the woman. She had gone through things worse than hell and so she understood.

"You'll find her. I know you will." Dani reassured her and Santana smiled at the confidence the blonde had in her.

"It's not our case. Sylvester says she's doing everything she can to get it but… even if she does, I'm not on duty and I won't be able to follow any leads that come up. I…I don't think I'd be able to live with myself if I had the chance to save her and I didn't. But I promised Rachel I wouldn't do anything stupid."

Santana felt herself ranting and she couldn't care less. The feeling of safety she felt when she was near Dani was one she had never found anywhere else. She felt like she wouldn't be pitied and she never had to put on a façade of toughness. It felt so fucking good and it made her want to cry with relief at being able to lay down the heavy walls she'd built up over the years, if only for just a moment.

"I agree with Rachel. You aren't better yet, not fully and going to rescue your friend without back up won't help either of you. You're not super human Santana, as much as I believe you are as you've saved me more times than any other human being. But I know you're human and everyone else does too. Your friend…" Dani paused, waiting for Santana to tell her the woman's name.

"Brittany." She replied softly.

"Your friend Brittany, I'm sure she knows that too. I know, we all know that you'll do everything in your power to save her but please, don't do it at the expense of your own health, of your own life. If you don't… if you don't find her, then it's not your fault and it's not anyone at your office's fault. The only people to blame are the ones who took her in the first place."

Dani took Santana's hand in hers and kissed it, hoping that Santana understood what she was trying to say.

"You know, you should become a motivational speaker." Santana joked and Dani laughed.

"I think I'm only good at it when it comes to you." Dani replied, carrying Santana's hand to her chest and holding it there.

"I'm sure you could motivate anyone to do anything." Santana smiled at her and Dani smiled back.

"Can I motivate you to stop trying to change the subject?" Dani asked and she chuckled when Santana huffed. "Don't stress yourself out over this Santana, please. It's not good for you."

Santana looked at her and Dani could see the unshed tears that were suddenly threatening to fall.

"I don't thing I can not stress over it. If something happens to her-"

"If something happens to her, it won't be your fault. Something has already happened to her. She's been kidnapped and you said there was blood at the scene. You can't do anything about that. The best you can do is to help find her and not get yourself hurt in the process because whether you believe it or not, there are quite a few people who would miss you like crazy if you were gone." Dani whispered and she felt a pain erupt in her chest at the thought of Santana not being beside her right now, or not being able to see her every day. She quickly removed the thought from her mind before it caused her anymore heartache.

"You're amazing." Santana said and she kissed Dani before the woman could point out that she was once again changing the subject. This time, Dani didn't have it in her to change the topic they were currently on. Her resolve was weakened by the soft lips on hers and it weakened even more when she felt the tongue tracing her lower lip. But she gathered whatever was left of it and broke the kiss.

"You're good, but I'm better." Dani whispered and smiled at the groan that escaped Santana's lips. "Promise me you won't do anything stupid." Santana groaned again.

"Not you too."

"Santana, I'm serious."

"Ok, fine. I promise."

"Thank you." Dani smiled and kissed the tip of her nose.

"Now can we get back to the kissing part?" Santana smirked and before Dani had a chance to point out that there were children in the room, the lips on hers erased any memory of coherent speech.

A/N: Another Sunday, another chapter. Honestly guys, you have no idea how much I love you all. The fact that so many of you are still reading warms my heart "And her heart grew three sizes that day." Seriously, thank you guys so much!

So I'll see you guys next Sunday. Please review!

XoXo.